Blessed Easter from the Carmelite Sisters! The Solemnity of solemnities, the glorious feast of Easter, is upon us. It is a Feast so important, so central in God’s Holy Church, that all of the rest of the Liturgical year either leads to it, or flows from it. Read More….
During this time of fasting and penance, the Church allows us to pause to celebrate the great St. Joseph. A very Happy Feast Day to all of you from all of us here at Carmel!
We take this opportunity to take a deeper look at the Stations of the Cross, their history, importance, and how to pray them. Read more…
It is therefore in our own best interests to prepare ourselves well to receive Blessed Ashes, so we can make full use of the graces they contain and bestow. We review what a sacramental is, how they work, the importance of having them blessed, and share a sermon about the importance and power of receiving ashes at the beginning of Lent. We also give many Lenten meditations for meditating on the Passion of Christ.
In WEBSITE NEWS we have added many new styles of crucifixes, as well as other statues and religious prints connected to the passion of Christ for the season of Lent. We also have a new passion relic badge with an image of the Ecce Homo. Read more…
As the liturgical year comes to a close, this presentation of all of the victors in the Heavenly court not only honors God’s work in them, but is meant to spur us on and give us courage during this “last lap” of the Liturgical Year. Holy Mother Church directs our gaze to the end of time, to the end of our time at our death. But she also puts before us all of these holy examples of people just like ourselves – full of human weakness, besought by trouble and sorrows, tempted by the world and the devil – as a compelling lesson and encouragement.
We also have many new products to share for Advent and Christmas Read More….
It is the God the Holy Ghost who does the work of sanctifying souls. Through His seven Gifts, enumerated by the prophet Isaias (11:2-3), He elevates, ennobles and divinizes our natural virtues and our faculties of intellect and will. He works in us, because of and in spite of, our inherent frailty and tendency to evil, to make us like unto Christ, Our Lord and Exemplar. We include a brief summary of these gifts and introduce a new badge of the Holy Spirit to help us remember His presence!Read More….
Holy Church dedicates the month of April to the Most Blessed Sacrament, since Our Lord instituted this, the greatest of the Sacraments, in April, on the night before he died. But May is right around the corner, so we wish also to dedicate this newsletter to Our Lady. Most fitting and fortuitous! For the Body and Blood of Jesus in this Sacrament was formed in His Blessed Mother. Jesus and Mary! To Jesus through Mary, for through her, He came to us.
In WEBSITE NEWS we give suggestions for First Communion gifts, including good books to help teach children how to receive this most important Sacrament.
In COMMUNITY NEWS we give an update on the community and all the projects that we have been involved in the past few months. Read more…
We know well that many approach this holy season of Lent with a gloomy, heavy heart. Yet surely our good Lord and Holy Mother Church do not mean for us to be sad and gloomy! This is a time, not to have a burdened soul, but one that is free – freed by Our Lord Himself through prayer and liberating penance. Lent is a time for achieving true freedom, that is, freedom from sin.
Also see our recommendations of helpful Lenten practices including Liturgical Prayer, fasting, and the Stations of the Cross. Read more…
The Feast of Epiphany follows the traditional “twelve days of Christmas” on January 6th. Still of the Christmas cycle, it celebrates the “Manifestation” of Christ to men. It is the Feast, commemorating the adoration of the wise men, that was chosen by St. Teresa for the formal renewal of vows.
We also invite you once again take part in the Candlemas blessing of candles on February 2nd. Read more…
In the masterpiece of the Divine Liturgy of Holy Church, we hear much about the end of time in these final weeks of the liturgical year. The theme that dominates the Last Sunday after Pentecost and the First Sunday of Advent is the end of time and the Final Judgement. This theme is the link that draws together the end of this year of grace and the beginning of the next, setting us once again on the path that will make present Christ in all of the mysteries of His Redemption. Let us strive more fervently each year to live them in more deeply, more completely than in years past.
We also share all of our new items for Christmas, relic badges, handmade ornaments, and Christmas scented candles. Read More….
It was during these days of the “first retreat” between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost that the Apostles underwent the last and most difficult part of their spiritual training. The season of Pentecost is the season of sanctification. Throughout our life, it is our turn to “fight the good fight” and carry Christ’s truth and victory banner into the world.
We also remember the anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima and all her message means for the modern world.
In WEBSITE NEWS we give suggestions for reading during this holy Liturgical season, introduce some new images of Blessed Mother, and give an update on our attempts to update the rosary ordering process on our website.
In COMMUNITY NEWS we finally finished the big vestment project we have been working on for the last four years – a solemn vestment set for Easter. We share pictures and stories of how a solemn set like this is made. Read more…